Watchdog.org

Watchdog.org is a collection of independent journalists covering state-specific and local government activity. The program began in September 2009, a project of Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting new media journalism.
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RALEIGH, N.C. – As the school year begins in North Carolina, many students don’t know whether they’ll be allowed to attend the schools of their parents’ choice or the traditional public schools they tried to opt out of.

INDIANOLA, Iowa — Jason Dinesen smiled politely and shook his head when asked about a new bill in the U.S. Senate that aims to improve how the IRS handles cases of identity theft by assigning one agent to deal with each individual case.

MILWAUKEE – State Rep. David Craig would have to pay Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett’s office close to $50 an hour to comply with an open records request to determine local plans for hundreds of undocumented child immigrants that soon may be coming to Wisconsin — and others that are already here.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — With less than a month until school starts in September, Virginia taxpayers will be footing the bill for some of the thousands of undocumented school-age children who have come here in recent months.

INDIANAPOLIS – Harry Truman once complained he wanted to find a one-handed economist because he was tired of asking a direct question of those on his economic team, only to have them say, “One on the hand … but on the other hand.”